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Other Resources

  • BISG Metadata Best Practices - A report from the Book Industry Study Group on the core metadata elements necessary for successful bookselling.
  • BISAC codes for book classification - What's your book about? Using BISAC subject categories helps define your book's topics, and levels the playing field in keyword search.
  • Writer Beware - while sponsored by the SFWA and the MWA, Writer Beware is a genre-independent website offering advice, recommendations, and warnings for authors.
  • Bibliocrunch - a concierge service that connects authors with publishing professionals who can help, such as cover designers, editors, app designers, etc.
  • Book Country - Are you a genre fiction writer? Book Country is your community!
  • Absolute Write - A website devoted to writing and publishing, with extremely helpful forums.
  • Self Publishing Podcast - A podcast run by three self-published authors, covering all aspects of getting your book written, packaged, and sold.
  • IndieReader Publishing Services - IndieReader has been a resource for consumers looking for fine self-published books since 2007. With a team of professionals - editors, cover designers, printers and publicists - IndieReader offers Publishing Services to assist authors who want to retain control of their work and independently publish, in both paper and digital formats.
  • Ebook distribution platforms

    Pay-as-you-go solutions:

  • Draft2Digital.Established in 2012 in Oklahoma City, Draft2Digital provides distribution to all the major bookstores except Google Play, plus a selection of smaller outlets. It’s favored for its ebook conversion tools and support.
  • Lulu. - Primarily focused on printed books, Lulu also started distributing eBooks in 2009. They distribute eBooks to Amazon Kindle Store, Apple iBookstore and Kobo books. Royalties are paid either by check or PayPal. It can difficult to find their exact revenue share beforehand.
  • PublishDrive. Based in Hungary, PublishDrive offers distribution to around 30 outlets that will get your books on hundreds of online libraries and bookstores, including Google Play. They are appreciated for their international vision and reach.
  • Smashwords.US born and based, Smashwords is the oldest American distribution platform, distributing to big and small outlets, mainly in the US. They don’t distribute to Amazon or Google Play. Smashwords has years of experience and hundreds of thousands of books published making them a valuable solution, although their platform isn’t considered the best in terms of user experience.
  • StreetLib. Born in Italy (two years before Smashwords) and now also based in the USA, this ebook distributor reaches all the main booksellers, including Google Play and Amazon, as well as hundreds of local stores, subscription services and libraries on every continent, via up to 50 different outlets. StreetLib is favored for its high-quality online book editor, integrated paperbook distribution, as well as its direct-sales options for authors and publishers.
  • The standard business model for pay-as-you-go solutions is a 10% fee on the list price of the books you sell. Each platform has its own reporting system and payment options, delays, conditions, etc.

    Pay upfront solution:

  • BookBaby. Among other services, BookBaby offers a $249 ebook distribution package, getting your eBooks to 50+ retailers via over a dozen partners including Amazon (and Amazon Select).
  • Other services offer ebook distribution packages, but often not as their first line of business. Pay-upfront services usually implies you’ll get 100% of your royalties (after the retailer’s cut is deducted) and after purchasing the distribution package.

    Going direct:

    Amazon and Kobo particularly, as well as some other retailers, have proprietary publishing platforms where you can publish your eBooks and – in most cases – earn more royalties when selling in their store. However, this means you will have to manage updates, schedules, reports and payments separately for each store.

 

 

How to Write a Business Plan as Narrative (Part 2 of 2)

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Sep 10, 2014

Writing your business plan as a manuscript can be a fun way to do the necessary work (what some people refer to as drudgery) of planning. It can also help you identify and deal with hidden assumptions and the people (characters) that impact your business. Your subplots help you recognize the value of previously unsought opportunities, perhaps in non-bookstore markets. And your narrative can point of the interdependencies of market segments rather than dealing with them as isolated groups. Here are the Top Ten Tips for Writing a Plan As a Novel.

 

Inside Publishing
Other Resources
Getting Started
  • Read more about How to Write a Business Plan as Narrative (Part 2 of 2)

A Novel Planning Technique for Book Publishers (Part 1 of 2)

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Fri Sep 5, 2014

As businesspeople we recognize the importance of planning. As book publishers we understand the process of writing a book. What if you combine these concepts and write a plan as you would a book? It would have characters, plots, sub-plots, action and a climax. Here are the Top Ten Tips for a New Way to Plan.

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Getting Started
Tags: 
Entrepreneurship
  • Read more about A Novel Planning Technique for Book Publishers (Part 1 of 2)

Do You Have the Write Stuff?

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Sep 3, 2014

Becoming a success (as you have defined it) in book publishing is more an art than a science. You can learn all the right things to do, but the application of those actions is different for every situation, person, book and target buyer. One key to moving continuously in the right direction on your path is to have a strong belief in yourself. In other words, become DEAR to yourself.

Inside Publishing
Writing
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Getting Started
Tags: 
Entrepreneurship
  • Read more about Do You Have the Write Stuff?

Premium Book Company: Offering Catalog Sales to Non-Bookstore Markets

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Thu Aug 7, 2014

Premium's network of 60,000+ experienced sales pros personally sell your books to known buyers in corporations, associations, the military, government agencies and schools. They pay for shipping, and there are no returns.

Click here for more information on Premium Book Company's catalog program.

Distribution
News & Resources
Other Resources
  • Read more about Premium Book Company: Offering Catalog Sales to Non-Bookstore Markets

Have a Meeting of the Minds

by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Jun 18, 2014

Growing your business depends in large part on your ability to innovate – both content and marketing. Moving from your core business (trade sales) into special (non-bookstore) markets is an example. Creating a mastermind group can help you access the combined knowledge of others to help you make the move. To do this, build an environment in which people feel comfortable, willing and able to innovate. Here are the Top Ten Principles For Developing a Successful Mastermind Team.

Distribution
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Tags: 
Entrepreneurship
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Where The Survey Ends

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Fri Dec 13, 2013

Porter Anderson has a great post on Writing on the Ether today about surveys, bias, and what can be counted (and what can't), based on a Twitter conversation with Hugh Howey.

Howey and I differ, to some degree, on the question of ISBNs, by the way. In his tweet exchange Wednesday with Greenfield, he pointed out something we’ve gone over many times here and at Publishing Perspectives: we’re dependent on the ISBN as the standard identifier sold and tracked in the United States by Bowker.

Inside Publishing
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Bowker Self Publishing Report: 2012

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Tue Nov 12, 2013

A new analysis of U.S. ISBN data by ProQuest affiliate Bowker reveals that the number of self-published titles in 2012 jumped to more than 391,000, up 59 percent over 2011 and 422 percent over 2007. Ebooks continue to gain on print, comprising 40 percent of the ISBNs that were self-published in 2012, up from just 11 percent in 2007.

“The most successful self-publishers don’t view themselves as writers only, but as business owners,” said Beat Barblan, Bowker Director of Identifier Services. “They invest in their businesses, hiring experts to fill skill gaps and that’s building a thriving new service infrastructure in publishing.”

Inside Publishing
Marketing & Publicity
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In Case You Missed It

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Mon Sep 16, 2013

Here are some pieces published early on in SelfPublishedAuthor.com's history that we want to highlight in case you missed them: 

How Do I Get My Book In Bookstores?

Self Publishing Your Book: Where's the Money?

Assuming the Risk For Your Own Book

What Happens To Your Book After It's Published?

Eating Our Own Dog Food

Inside Publishing
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Getting Started
  • Read more about In Case You Missed It

Like Minds

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Fri May 3, 2013

Writing is a lonely job. Publishing doesn't have to be. As more authors are taking publishing into their own hands, associations and communities (including online forums) are forming to help them.

Other Resources
  • Read more about Like Minds

Author (R)evolution Day

by Laura Dawson
Bowker | Tue Apr 16, 2013

In February of 2013, O'Reilly Tools of Change hosted a one-day symposium for authors, called Author (R)evolution Day. TOC filmed the event, and is now offering a downloadable video of the entire event for $19.99. It's five and a half hours of self-publishing deliciousness, including appearances by Cory Doctorow, Jason Allen Ashlock, Kate Pullinger, Porter Anderson, and yours truly.

Topics include:

Inside Publishing
Other Resources
  • Read more about Author (R)evolution Day
  • Obtain ISBNs (click here!)
  • Convert your file to ebook (click here!)
  • Acquire a bar code (click here!)
  • Increase discovery (click here!)
  • Purchase a QR code (click here!)
  • Register your copyright (click here!)
  • Find out who you write like (click here!)
  • Promote your book online (click here!)

Getting Started

Create a Culture of Quality in Your Publishing Company

Thu, November 13

FAQs about ISBNs

Fri, October 24

How to Write a Business Plan as Narrative (Part 2 of 2)

Wed, September 10

A Novel Planning Technique for Book Publishers (Part 1 of 2)

Fri, September 05

Do You Have the Write Stuff?

Wed, September 03

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